A Glimmer of Hope

Dear JCPL Allies,

This week’s Sylva Herald included a brief article that suggests a glimmer of hope for Jackson County Public Libraries' continued membership in the Fontana Regional Library. Three workable addenda have been proposed to strengthen Jackson County’s commitment to the FRL, and our commissioners will vote on them on Nov. 18. Macon and Swain counties will also be voting on the document within the same week. The proposed modifications appear at the end of this post*.

Here is the relevant text from the Sylva Herald:

 "Under new business at the end of the [Jackson County Commissioner] board's Nov. 4 work session, County Manager Kevin King presented commissioners with a document... that detailed three amendments to the interlocal agreement between the FRL and the three counties with which it partners.... The amendments include mandates to place a sitting county commissioner on the FRL Regional Board of Trustees, that the FRL regional director cannot also be employed as director or an executive role by any county in the FRL system or the region, and a claw back of any money left in FRL's coffers at the end of the budget year; any surplus of funds donated by a county would be returned to the county that contributed it."

While we understand that this is not a perfect solution, we see it as an acceptable compromise. We believe we can accomplish more to protect our libraries from within the FRL than if we were to leave the regional system. We have watched the devastation in Yancey County unfold since they left their regional system, and we want to do everything we can to prevent a similar outcome here. We will continue to keep watch and do all we can to prevent censorship and encourage inclusion within the Jackson County Public Libraries.

Requested actions:

1. If you have a moment, please write to thank the commissioners for their consideration and encourage a vote in favor of these addenda. These addenda offer a promising path forward that honors the needs of our community and its core stakeholders.

2. Attend the meeting on Nov. 18 in yellow, and let's encourage them there, too. The Allies will prepare a statement. The meeting is Nov. 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the Justice & Administration Building, 401 Grindstaff Cove Rd., Rm. A201, Sylva, North Carolina.

Thank you for your sustained efforts and your help in bringing us to this moment.

The JCPL Allies

*Proposed Modifications to the FRL Agreement

1. Section III A. Memberships- To include in section A-2

Each county shall have equal representation on the Fontana Regional Library Board of

Trustees composed of three members from each county, [one of whom shall be a sitting

member of that county's duly elected Board of Commissioners at the time of appointment

and throughout the member's service on the Board of Trustees.]

2. Section III C. 3 Director-To include language- The Fontana Regional Library Board of

Trustees is hereby delegated the power to select, appoint, remove, determine salary and other

terms of employment of a Regional Director and to delegate to the Regional Director

executive powers. [The Regional Director shall devote full professional effort to the Fontana

Regional Library and shall not simultaneously hold a Director position or comparable

executive role in any other participating county library system or library entity within the

region.]

3. Section IV Financial Structure Section C- Each county will pay the Fontana Regional Library

an adequate amount of money necessary for the Fontana Regional Library to carry out its

mission of providing the public of Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties with excellent

service and convenient access to resources for their educational, informational, and

recreational needs. These funds will allow the Fontana Regional Library to pay for library

materials and for operating expenses for libraries within that county. Funds from each

county will also be used to contribute to joint operations. [At the end of the year, upon

completion of the audit and calculation of payables, any remaining funds in excess of

operational costs will be reimbursed to the counties that allocated the funding in proportion

to their respective contributions.]